Developing a Reflective Practitioner Through the Connection Between Educational Research and Reflective Practices

This paper outlines the connection between qualitative research methods in education and teacher reflective practices as they relate to Valli’s (Reflective teacher education: cases and critiques. State University of New York Press, Albany, 1992; Peabody J Educ 72(1): 67–88, 1997) model of reflection. Using the authors’ own experiences in performing and guiding educational research, and existing research in the field of teacher education pertaining to reflective practitioners, explicit connections are made between the two paradigms. These connections illustrate the importance of integrating authentic research experiences into the teacher education curriculum outside the context of methods courses, much like models established in the sciences.     

Differential-outcomes effect using hedonically nondifferential outcomes with delayed matching to sample by pigeons

When differential outcomes follow correct responses to each of two comparison stimuli in matching to sample, relative to the appropriate control condition, higher matching accuracy is typically found, especially when there is a delay between the sample and the comparison stimuli. In two experiments, we examined whether this differential-outcomes effect depends on using outcomes that differ in hedonic value (e.g., food vs. water). In Experiment 1, we found facilitated retention when a blue houselight followed correct responses to one comparison stimulus and a white houselight followed correct responses to the other, prior to nondifferential presentations of food. In Experiment 2, we found facilitated retention again when a blue houselight followed correct responses to one comparison stimulus and a tone followed correct responses to the other, prior to nondifferential presentations of food. The results of both experiments indicate that the differential-outcomes effect does not depend on a difference in hedonic value of the differential outcomes, and they suggest that outcome anticipations consisting of relatively arbitrary but differential stimulus representations can serve as cues for comparison choice.     

In the trainer's voice: A study of training transfer practices

Data were gathered from members of a large professional training organization regarding their practices for supporting training transfer. Transfer factor categories grounded in the literature were used to code the data using content analysis procedures. Commensurate with the transfer literature, results suggest that trainers reported strategies used within the training setting and in the work environment as having the most influence on training transfer. Transfer practices that do not have a firm grounding in the research but that emerged in the data, trainer characteristics and evaluation practices, were reported by trainers as being important influences on training transfer. This study extends previous work on training transfer practices by elucidating the specific transfer influences perceived by training professionals as critical for supporting transfer in organizations. Implications for practice and research are offered that focus on building trainer proficiency for training transfer in organizational settings.     

Designing a Deeply Digital Science Curriculum: Supporting Teacher Learning and Implementation with Organizing Technologies

This paper examines the impacts of technology (e.g., Chromebooks, Google Drive) on teacher learning and student activity in the development and implementation of a deeply digital high school biology unit. Using design-based implementation research, teachers co-designed with researchers and curriculum specialists a student-centered unit aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that utilizes classroom technology. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected to understand the barriers that inhibit the implementation of a digital curriculum as well as the extent that teachers engage in the design process and begin to make shifts in their practice. We found that through the co-design process teachers began to shift their knowledge of NGSS, technology implementation, and adapted to tensions and barriers inherent in the process.     

A review of Education and Social Media using conflict and functionalist theories

Education and Social Media: Toward a Digital Future (2016), edited by Christine Greenhow, Julia Sonnevend, and Colin Agur, is a compilation of essays by leading contributors to the digital and social media movement in education. The chapters within this volume provide a granular look at the current landscape of how digital media is utilized across educational levels, fields of study, and geographic areas. The book is divided into three sections discussing the emerging use of social media in education, challenges in its implementation, and potential directions as tech-based education continues to evolve. In this review, we situate the ideas presented in Education and Social Media in the functionalist and conflict theories of educational perspective to further illuminate the potential of digital learning in supporting increased access to education for marginalized student populations. We discuss how these competing views are both given voice in Education and Social Media, prompting the reader to critically reflect on advantages and dangers presented by increased use of technological platforms in educational settings. Topics discussed include online universities, peer-developed curriculum, and differential use of technology based on school socioeconomic demographics. We also suggest areas that have emerged in need of further discussion since the book’s publication.